Travelling AFL fans bring windfall to Perth and WA

Eagles soar to a preliminary final

VideoThe West Coast Eagles will be gearing up to play either Hawthorn or Melbourne.

Thousands of football fans travelling from interstate and within WA for the Eagles’ preliminary final with Hawthorn or Melbourne in two weeks will inject millions of dollars into the State’s economy.

As Tourism Minister Paul Papalia yesterday said West Coast’s home fixture in the penultimate week of the AFL finals was “brilliant” for WA tourism, the powerful hotels lobby predicted it would generate a multimillion-dollar windfall for Perth.

Australian Hotels Association of WA chief Bradley Woods said up to 5000 interstate fans of either Hawthorn or Melbourne, who will play for a spot in the preliminary final, were likely to travel to Perth for the game against West Coast.

Mr Woods said that, given each visitor would typically stay a couple of nights in the city and spend money on food, beverages, “incidentals” and transport, the economic gain would multiply quickly.

But he said it was important to remember that many Eagles fans — and those of other teams — lived in regional and remote parts of WA and they would also travel to Perth and spend up for the game.

“There’s been plenty of anecdotal evidence through hotels to show there are more visitors travelling interstate to see games and intrastate visitors coming from regional areas and staying over,” Mr Woods said.

In an indication of football’s tourism pulling power at Optus Stadium, Mr Papalia said the number of interstate visitors flying to Perth for games this year had already dramatically beaten expectations.

He said early estimates that games at Optus Stadium would attract 1000 interstate visitors had proved conservative.

“Through the year, already interstate sales for the AFL and as part of our marketing campaign have well and truly exceeded expectations,” Mr Papalia said.

He said the preliminary final would be a fillip for operators of Perth’s “high-class and affordable” hotels looking to fill vacant rooms.

And in a further “bonus”, Mr Papalia noted that the Eagles’ win over Collingwood, which gives the club a week off, meant football would not clash with Perth Fashion Festival, which is slated to hold events at the stadium.

Plucky Melbourne fans have begun booking flights to WA before their team has even booked a preliminary final berth as the success-starved Demons fans dare to dream.